THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a lock component, and more particularly relates to a lock component intended to co-operate with a locking mechanism. In particular, the present invention relates to a lock component adapted to co-operate with a locking mechanism suitable for use in locking a foldable back-rest of a vehicle seat, in particular a rear seat.
It is desirable to provide the rear seat of a vehicle, such as a passenger car, with a foldable back-rest, since this may facilitate the transportation of a long object or a bulky object within the vehicle. Typically a foldable back-rest is hinged, at the lower portion of the back-rest, to the squab of the seat or to the chassis of the vehicle. A lock is provided to lock the seat in the upright position, and the lock may consist of a locking mechanism secured to the chassis of the vehicle, which co-operates with a lock component which is mounted on the upper part of the back-rest. The lock has to be very strong to be able to withstand substantial forces that may be applied to the back-rest if loose luggage in the boot of the vehicle moves forward during a frontal impact. It is also especially important for the lock to be very strong if the upper anchorage points for the seat-belt system are located in the back-rest of the seat, and not directly mounted on the chassis.
However, it has been found that there is relative movement between the chassis of a motor vehicle, such as a car, and a foldable back-rest, when the vehicle is in motion. This relative movement may cause noise problems within the cabin of the motor vehicle, especially if the locking mechanism and the lock component are not properly connected to each other or have a relatively large clearance between them, permitting relative movement.
At the present time, to ensure that a foldable rear seat back-rest in a vehicle may be locked in position, the locking mechanism typically includes a lock that defines a slot or passage that is of a sufficient size to accept part of the locking component that is to co-operate with the lock, even if the locking mechanism and the lock component are not perfectly aligned. This means that there is typically a relatively wide clearance between the locking mechanism and the co-operating lock component.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved lock component.
According to this invention there is provided a lock component, comprising a mounting plate, a deformable element connected to the mounting plate and an arm connected to the deformable element so as to be connected to the mounting plate through the intermediary of the deformable element, the arm carrying a lockable element, the lockable element being adapted to co-operate with and be retained by a locking mechanism, the lockable element having at least one degree of freedom of movement.
Preferably the freedom of movement is a rotational freedom of movement.
Advantageously the freedom of movement comprises two freedoms of movement, one being rotational and one being a lateral displacement.
Preferably the arm presents an aperture having a predetermined configuration, the aperture being dimensioned to receive a portion of the deformable element which has substantially the same configuration.
Advantageously the intermediate element is provided with a bore therethrough, the bore being located to be co-aligned with the aperture in the arm when the arm is mounted on the intermediate element, connecting means being provided extending through the aperture in the arm through the intermediate element and extending to the mounting plate.
Conveniently the lockable element comprises an element protruding from said arm presenting a first flange, a relatively narrow, cylindrical portion and an enlarged diameter head.
Advantageously said flange is chamfered, the narrow cylindrical portion is barrel-shaped and the enlarged diameter head has a substantially domed outward end.
Preferably the arm is cranked.
Conveniently the deformable element is resiliently deformable, such as a resiliently deformable polymer material.
The invention also relates to a component as described above in combination with a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism defining a slot to receive the lockable element, the relative position between the slot and the said component being such that when the lockable element is inserted into the slot, the intermediate element is distorted.
Preferably the locking mechanism comprises a front plate defining said slot and a rotatable lock plate defining a recess adapted to receive part of the said lockable element, the lock plate being movable to a position in which the lockable element is retained within the slot.
The lock component and locking mechanism may be mounted in the motor vehicle to retain a foldable back-rest of a vehicle seat in an elevated position.